Electric lighting



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' E, WESTON.

ELEGTRIG LIGHTING SYSTEM.

N0. 316,708. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

2 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

( No Model.)

B. WESTON.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

fittest: A7mm7, E%a/uwu\ UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD WESTON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN OR TO THE UNITED STATES ELECTRIC LIGHTING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 316,708, dated April 28, 1885.

' Application filed November 28; 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known. that I, EDWARD WVESTON, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of- New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric- Lighting Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying a'nd forming a part of the same.

In certain patents granted to the United States Electric Lighting Company as my assignee, September 9, 1884, Nos. 304,882,

804,888, and 304,884, I have shown and described a system of electric lighting in which incandescent lamps are run two or morein series in parallel or multiple circuits from two main conductors, and in which provision is made for preserving the continuity of each cross-circuit in case any number of lamps less than all in that circuit be extinguished, by substituting equivalent resistances for the lamps withdrawn; also, for interrupting the circuit through said resistances, or, in other words, breaking the cross-circuit when all lamps in the same are withdrawn, In an other form of multiple-series distribution the line at certain points is divided into a number of branches, and the lamps are included, singly or in limited numbers, in each branch. A considerable number of such groups of derived circuits may be formed in the sameline, the groups being-in series. To this particular form of circuit my present invention relates, the objectbeing toreplace extinguished lamps or other like devices of any group by equivalent resistances, so that the distribution of current in the branches or derived circuits may be always uniform, and also to providea final cut-out for closing a circuit of low resistance around a group of derived circuits when all the lamps of such group have been extinguished. The general plan by which I accomplish this result is by the employment with each group of lamps of a supplemental circuit, including an electromagnetic circuitcontroller, and having as many breaks as there are lamps in the group. Normally these breaks are all open when the lamps are running; but on extinguishing a lamp the device that is operated for that purpose or operated thereby closes one of the breaks in the supplemental or controlling circuit. The supplemental circuit, however,will not be completed until all the'breaks are closed, or, what is the same thing, until all the lamps are extinguished. When the last lamp is withdrawn, the completion of the supplemental circuit energizes an eleetro-magnet, which operates an armature and closes a shunt or branch of low resistance around the whole group of lamps and resistances. The supplemental or controlling circuit may be independent of the lighting circuit or derived therefrom. In the former case it is necessary to employ a small battery to furnish the requisite current,and in the latter to use some means for preventing the vibration of armature of the electro-mag netic switch. The controlling circuit may also be arranged in different ways with. refer- 0 ence to the lamps or their controlling devices. For instance, the breaks may all be in the main controllingcircuitthat is to say, in seriesor, with slight changes in the mode of operation of the circuitclosers or switches, they may be in cross or branch circuits between the positive and negative wires of the controllingcircuit.

In my present application I will describe the former arrangement, the other being made the subject of a separate application. The details of the system will be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagram of the system, showing the use of an independent controlling-circuit; Fig. 2, a diagram of the same, with a controlling-circuit in derivation to the main.

Let A designate the conductor of a main linef B B, a given number of divisions of such 0 line brought into derivation or multiple arc, and united to the main line by the conductors O O.

,In each branch or division B is included an electric incandescent lamp, D, or some similar 5 translating device, this being a well-known modification of the plan or system for distributing current known as multiple are. In each branch B is also an electromagnetic cutout, E, and a break, F. Around each lamp and break is a resistance-circuit, G, containlng a resistance-coil, R, equivalent to one lamp,

and connected with and controlled by-the cutout E, the object being to provide anautomatic device for substituting a resistance'for a lamp, whether the lamp be extinguished by hand or'by the destruction of its carbon.

H designates switches, to be operated manually, for the purpose of controlling the breaks in the branches B.

K is the supplemental or controlling circuit, containing an electro-magnet, L, and breaks M, the wire of the circuit K being carried around to each switch H, and the breaks therein located in proximity to those in the branches B, so that the same switches control boththat is to say, when a switch is turned to open a branch circuit, it closes one of the breaks in the controlling-circuit, and conversely.

In Fig. 1 a small battery, N, is shown in the controlling-circuit K.

The electro-magnet L is provided with a pivoted armature-lever, Z, that forms the contact-lever of a-switchin a shunt-circuit, O, of low resistance around the entire group of derived circuits and all the devices included therein. If all the breaks M in circuit K are closed, which will be the case when all the lamps are extinguished, the circuit is complete,

and the electro-magnet L is rendered active.

This closes circuit 0 and shunts the current around the group of lamps and resistances. If then anyone or more of the switches be turned to bring in a lamp or lamps, the circuitK is again broken and the current passes through the active lamps and the resistancecoils of those not brought into circuit.

In Fig. 2 the circuit K is derived from the main line and contains no battery. In this case I have shown as ameans of preventing the vibration of the contact-lever of the electro-magnet the following: a spring-impelled contact-lever, m, and a pivoted armature-lever, a, with a catch, a, that engages with the lever m and holds it out of contact with its but by the automatic switches or cut-outs, as

will be readily seen by reference to the patents above mentioned, and in other respects the system may be modified within the limits of my invention.

In practice, a number of the groups of de-.

rived circuits described are formed in series inrthe circuit A,and some means used to regulate the current generated, so that a uniform flowof current will be maintained.

It is possible to run more than one. lamp in each branchbyduplicating the deyices' described, and by making such other obvious changes as the circumstances of the case require.

What I claim isr 1. The'combinatlon, with a divided main line, incandescent lamps, switches, and resistances to be substituted for the lamps included in or connected'with the divisions or branches of the circuit, of a shunt of low resistance around the divisions of the circuit, a supplemental circuit controlled bythe lampswitches, and a switch in the shunt of low resistance controlled by a magnet in the supplemental circuit, as set forth.

2. In a multiplefseries system in which the line is divided at intervals into a group or given number of branches, the combination, with each branch in a group, of an incandescent lamp, a manual switch, .a'resistance, andv an automatic switch or cut-out for introduc-t ing the resistance inplace of the lamp, and with the entire group'of branches, of a shunt of low resistance, a supplemental circuit con-. trolled by the lamp-switches, and an electron magnet and devices operated thereby for controlling the shunt of low resistance, as and'for the purpose set forth. a 3. In a multiple-series system in which'the.

line is divided at intervals into a group or.

rupt the lamp circuits, and conversely, an

electro-magnet in; said supplemental circuit, and switch mechanism in the shunt oflow re-- sistance operated thereby, as set forth.

4.. In a multiple-series system in which the line is divided atintervals into a group or given number of branches, the combination, with each branch in a group, of an incandescent lamp, a manual switch, a resistance, and an automatic switch or cut-out for introducing the same in place of the lamp, and with the entire group of branches,of ashunt of low resistance, an independent circuit containing a series of breaks thatare opened and closed bythe movements of the lamp-switches, a battery and electro-magn'et in the independent circuit, and switch mechanism in the shunt operated or controlled thereby, as and for the purpose set-forth. I y x In testimony whereof my hand. this 25th day of-November, 1884..

' EDWARD WESTON.

Witnesses: V I

I H. A. BEOKMEYER,

J OHN O-YOUNG.

I havehereunto set 1 25 

